Replacing bulky upper kitchen or living room cabinets with floating natural wood shelves creates an open, airy feel. Building shelves directly into recessed plaster wall nooks gives them a custom, architectural integration.
Frame out recessed wall alcoves in the living room or kitchen, smoothing the edges with plaster or drywall compound. Mount thick, live-edge or clean-cut oak floating shelves inside the nooks. Style sparingly with neutral ceramics, ironware, framed art, and stacked cookbooks to avoid visual clutter.
Idea 6: Stone Fireplace Hearth with a Sleek Steel Log Burner
Step-by-Step Guide
A central fireplace serves as the heart of a cottage. Combining a rough, floor-to-ceiling fieldstone or stacked-stone hearth with a minimalist black steel wood-burning stove introduces an industrial-chic edge to a cozy hearth.
